Arts Editorial : Compelling Freedoms
by Nathan Thorin : neonflesh@aol.com
In case you have not heard, in the proposals of the Florida state budget
2003-2004, the funding for art has been cut drastically, and was almost
reduced to 0%. This effects art across the board, from schools, to
museums, zoos, galleries, and individual projects. I understand how in
war time we cannot justify frivolity, but instead of cutting funding
severely perhaps we could direct the art funded to serve the war effort
like programs from the past. This is a respectable American tradition
that artists such as Norman Rockwell have participated in.
Posters from WWII spoke of American patriotism, strength, the perils and
realities of war, and how the everyday citizen could help. While many of
these were certainly overboard fearful propaganda, Norman Rockwell's
'Four Freedoms' speak to the ages and are still relevant in what should
be more enlightened times. It is times like these that the government
should help its citizens make the correct connections from what dangers
lie scheming in the world, and what we can actually do on a day to day
basis to help our nation be more secure. There are many ways in which
artists can serve the war against terrorism, for after all this is at
its core a war of ideas.
In times of great crisis it takes not just military might, but great
wisdom to battle the evils of an invisible and under-the-radar threat
such as terrorism. What I'm proposing here is drawing upon the wisdom of
our citizenry (remember of and by the people?) to find solutions to the
many faceted demon of the terrorist threat, and to re-ignite a positive
and creative patriotism instead of the blind, ignorant, nationalist,
fervor that seems to be abundant today. This mentality is selfish
political fuel and will only feed the hatred of our enemies and decay
our unity from the inside.
It seems to me that so far the Office of Homeland Security has been at a
complete loss as to precisely what to tell the masses, and how to tell
it to them so that they do not panic. This office doesn't even know how
to not emulate an Orwellian vision of Big Brother, with their giant
talking heads of Tom Ridge speaking to pacify but not really saying
anything. We're over it. We're not buying that vision of America.
So in a time in which the government's view of freedom seems very
narrow, and at a loss of properly communicating urgency and community
involvement in security, perhaps those dollars previously earmarked for
art should simply be refocused toward the times. It is often our artists
that can manifest ideas in easily understandable one glance sessions.
And it is often that philosophers bring new and outside-of-the-box
solutions to public understanding through art. I'm not talking about
posters on buying duct tape (not much more than a Home Depot ad), or
adverts about how supporting drugs supports terrorism (uh, if pot was
legal we'd all grow our own thus eliminating any criminal element). In
delicate times such as these we need something far more universal, far
more rooted in the deep American spirit that speaks to people of all
creeds, and beliefs, and culture. We need visions of an American/Global
relationship that prospers for all. We need a deep, realistic, vision of
freedom. We need a motivating freedom so compelling and true that those
who live in fear under dictators are given the hope and drive to free
themselves.
I understand that many artists, being liberal, nonpolitical, or just
plain apathetic, would prefer to direct their energies toward protest or
not be involved at all. But if there was a more open and supported forum
for art and thought, perhaps the apathetic would find new motivation to
be a part of the society that has marginalized them. Perhaps the
solution is to employ artists to screen-print past war posters that
still have relevance in our new war era such as Norman Rockwell's 'Four
Freedoms'. Perhaps money should be available to host shows that allow
open artistic interpretation on war and freedom and mass-print the few
that resonate positivity to all on what it is to be American. What
better way to spend our tax dollars then to get the people who are often
alienated involved and invested back in their community and country?
There seems to be plenty of money becoming available for religious
organizations (who certainly help communities in times of crisis), is
there no room to encourage our creative and artistic to do the same?
United we stand.
View the good and the bad of American WWII propaganda here at the
National Archives:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibit_hall/powers_of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasion_home.html
For more information on the budget cuts go to :
www.flca.net
Or contact Sharron Long at the Florida Cultural Alliance at :
FLCULALL@aol.com or leave a
message at 561.848.6231
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